James Lofton facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
James Lofton

Lofton on the Packers
No. 80, 86, 22
Position:	Wide receiver
Personal information
Born:	(1956-07-05) July 5, 1956 (age 69) Fort Ord, California, U.S.
Height:	6 ft 3 in (1.91 m)
Weight:	187 lb (85 kg)
Career information
High school:	Washington (Los Angeles, California)
College:	Stanford
NFL Draft:	1978 / Round: 1 / Pick: 6
Career history
As player:
Green Bay Packers (1978–1986) Los Angeles Raiders (1987–1988) Buffalo Bills (1989–1992) Los Angeles Rams (1993) Philadelphia Eagles (1993)
As coach:
San Diego Chargers (2002–2007) Wide receivers coach Oakland Raiders (2008) Wide receivers coach
Career highlights and awards
2× First-team All-Pro (1980, 1981) 2× Second-team All-Pro (1982, 1983) 8× Pro Bowl (1978, 1980–1985, 1991) NFL 1980s All-Decade Team PFWA All-Rookie Team (1978) Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame Buffalo Bills 50th Anniversary Team Second-team All-American (1977) First-team All-Pac-8 (1977)
Career NFL statistics
Receptions: 764 Receiving yards: 14,004 Receiving touchdowns: 75
Player stats at PFR
Pro Football Hall of Fame

James David Lofton (born July 5, 1956) is a famous American former football player and coach. He played in the National Football League (NFL) as a wide receiver. He played for several teams, including the Green Bay Packers, Los Angeles Raiders, Buffalo Bills, Los Angeles Rams, and Philadelphia Eagles.

Beyond football, James Lofton was also a champion in track and field. In 1978, while attending Stanford University, he won the NCAA championship in the long jump. Many people consider Lofton one of the greatest wide receivers ever. He was honored by being inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2003. After his playing days, he became a coach for wide receivers.

Early Life and High School Football

James Lofton grew up in Los Angeles, California. He went to George Washington High School. There, he was a talented athlete, playing both quarterback and safety on the football team.

College Career at Stanford University

Lofton continued his football journey at Stanford University. In his senior year, 1977, he caught 57 passes for over 1,000 yards. He also scored 14 touchdowns, showing his amazing skills. His performance earned him a spot on the second-team All-American selection. James Lofton also studied hard, earning a bachelor's degree in industrial engineering in 1978.

Track and Field Success

Besides football, Lofton was an incredible track and field athlete. In 1978, he won the NCAA Track and Field Championships in the long jump. His winning jump was almost 27 feet! He had also won the long jump at the 1974 CIF California State Meet during high school. Lofton was also a fast sprinter, showing his all-around athletic talent.

Professional Football Career

The Green Bay Packers picked James Lofton in the first round of the 1978 NFL draft. He was the sixth player chosen overall. During his amazing career, he was selected for the NFL Pro Bowl eight times. Seven of these times were with the Packers, and one was with the Bills. He was also named to four All-Pro teams, which means he was considered one of the best players in the league.

Lofton played in three Super Bowls with the Buffalo Bills. In 2003, he was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame, a huge honor for football players.

Over his 16 seasons in the NFL, Lofton caught 764 passes. He gained an incredible 14,004 receiving yards and scored 75 touchdowns. He was known for his ability to gain many yards after catching the ball. In five different seasons, he averaged 20 yards or more per catch. He even led the league in this stat in 1983 and 1984.

James Lofton was the first NFL player to reach 14,000 receiving yards. He was also one of the first players to score a touchdown in three different decades: the 1970s, 1980s, and 1990s. While with the Green Bay Packers, he became the team's all-time leading receiver. He was inducted into the Green Bay Packers Hall of Fame in 1999. In 1991, Lofton became the oldest player at the time to gain 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.

Coaching Career

After his playing career, James Lofton became a coach. He worked as the wide receivers coach for the San Diego Chargers from 2002 to 2007. Later, in 2008, he coached wide receivers for the Oakland Raiders.

Broadcasting Career

James Lofton also had a career in sports broadcasting. From 1999 to 2001, he worked as a color analyst and sideline reporter for NFL games on Westwood One radio. He returned to Westwood One in 2009. In 2017, he joined CBS Sports as a game analyst for the NFL on CBS television broadcasts. He continues to share his football knowledge with fans as a commentator.

NFL Career Statistics

Regular Season Stats

Personal Life

James Lofton is married to Beverly, and they have three children. One of their children, David, also played college football at Stanford. James Lofton's cousin, Kevin Bass, was a professional Major League Baseball player.